


Eyes Only

by Meatball42



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-18 05:01:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13674768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meatball42/pseuds/Meatball42
Summary: While on an international assignment, an investigative journalist makes a dangerous discovery about someone who shaped a century.





	Eyes Only

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hecate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hecate/gifts).



> Hecate, I’m sorry this didn’t turn out shippy! I liked your prompt so much I started writing without double-checking. I hope you it enjoy anyway.

Tony is elbow-deep in a lovely old carburetor when he hears a certain tone to FRIDAY’s voice, the one she gets when she’s been calling his name for a while. “Yes dear?”

“Boss,” FRIDAY says exasperatedly, “I’ve been getting some calls from a journalist who requires your attention.

Tony scowls. “I’m in the middle of something here. Didn’t I make you to filter out useless crap?”

If FRIDAY could be scowling, she would be, too. “She says she has information you will find very relevant. She’s been calling for a week straight on a satellite phone from an active military zone.”

Tony pulls his arms out of the car and puts down his tools. “That, is highly illegal. Who is she?”

“One Christine Everhart, boss.”

Tony rolls his eyes and goes back to his tinkering. “Put her on.” A dial tone sounds briefly, then cuts off. “That’s the sound of the past coming to haunt me,” he says.

A delay, probably from the satellite phone- Christine’s a bit too fast to be caught off guard like that. “We all make mistakes,” she says dryly. The line’s pretty good, hardly a crackle. Tony hates using inferior technology.

“And you didn’t even write about my most recent one. Should I be flattered or insulted?”

“I didn’t cover Sokovia because I’ve been in Syria for the last four years. Don’t take it personally.”

“You sound very friendly today. I’m suspicious, and also very busy.” He lets his tools clink gently against metal to illustrate.

“Don’t hang up!” Christine calls, breaking her droll demeanor.

“That desperate for my attention?” Tony grins.

“Can you be serious for a goddamn minute, Stark!”

Tony blinks in surprise. Despite the number of awkward, rude, or uncomfortable situations he’s seen Christine in over the last few years, he’s never known her to lose her cool. 

“I’m an investigative reporter. Whatever jokes you like to make, my job is not, actually, to fuck with you. I’ve been following some leads relating to the stability in this region and I found something you need to see.”

Tony puts down his tools again, preemptively pulling up a hologram from FRIDAY. “Is this about my weapons?”

“No… It’s about your parents.”

“My parents,” Tony repeats. “Not my dad?”

“I don’t want to say anything else over the phone. I need to see you in person, somewhere secure.”

Tony relaxes, letting out a huff. “Yeah, no, this isn’t how you get your private interview, but thanks for playing.”

“Do you remember when I showed you those photos from Gulmira and basically started your superhero career?” Christine sasses.

Tony rolls his eyes. “That’s not how I remember it, but I’m sure you have a point.”

“My point is that when I say you need to see something, you need to see it. You should trust me on that, if nothing else. I am deadly serious here. You need to see this.”

She sounds deadly serious. Tony considers it for a good long minute, maybe a little bit enjoying letting her stew. “Can you fly to New York or DC?”

Christine replies briskly, all business. “I’ll need help getting clearance to leave within the next week.”

“Is this time-sensitive?”

There’s a moment of silence on the line “...Not necessarily. But considering the context… I want to pass this on as soon as possible, and then pretend I never saw it. I know when I’m in over my head,” she says ironically.

Tony frowns. Like many people he associates with, Christine Everhart is not one to back down from a challenge. If anything, he’s surprised she didn’t write a huge exposé and let him find out whatever the secret is with everyone else. “Are you in danger?”

“I’m in the middle of a war zone, I’m always in danger,” she says sarcastically, before sobering. “But this… maybe. I don’t know. A few months ago, I’d have gone to SHIELD with this, and if I had, I’d probably have died for it. I should be going to the CIA, but... I thought you deserved to see it first.”

Tony shakes his head. There’s a lot that doesn’t make sense here, primarily why someone with no particular reason to wish him well- in fact, good reason to continue with their functional working relationship of mutual dislike- would take a risk for him (journalistic ethics? Ehhh). The implication of Hydra involvement is concerning, but still, not his area of concern. But on the off chance she’s telling the truth...

“FRIDAY, get my jet somewhere Ms. Everhart can board it, as soon as possible. Coordinate with Customs, but keep her identity out of it until the last minute.”

“I appreciate it,” Christine says, and she does sound immensely relieved. It doesn’t make Tony feel any better about the whole thing.

“Don’t make me regret this,” he warns.

Christine sounds uncharacteristically gentle when she signs off. “Unfortunately, I can’t promise that.”


End file.
